Everyday Creative, Creative Every Day

Entries Tagged as: mixed-media

Tried to keep it simple and a little smaller today as I'm not feeling fantastic (just a cold). This was inspired by an Instagram picture I took last month, when a large group of birds zoomed through my yard. The picture was a daytime one, but I made the painting at night.

Earlier in the day, I did a little raking and Annabelle had a blast jumping in the "Annabelle leaf pile" and "helping" me rake. It was cute. She was having so much fun with the leaves that we took a few in and I showed her how to do leaf rubbings. This picture is of her concentrating really hard, trying to trace a leaf.

Hooray! Art Every Day Month has begun! I hope everyone had a good experience today. If not, tomorrow is a new day. For today's art, I had to squeeze my painting into a short nap, then finish up in the evening. I let this one just happen and here's what came out. It's called "The Search." I like the constellations, which were a sudden inspiration that I enjoyed running with. The piece is 8"x8" with acrylic and ink on panel.

The cutest thing happened today. I was out running errands with my 2.5 year old daughter, Annabelle and told her for the first time about Art Every Day Month. Her response: "I want to do art every day too!" Haha! I thought we might do AEDM together someday, but wasn't quite expecting it so soon! We are definitely creative every day together, it's impossible not to be, but to consciously think about creating each day together might be an interesting challenge. I'm not sure we'll have time each day to do and document something, but we will as often as we can. Today we made a necklace. She picked the order of the beads and strung the round ones. She was quite pleased with her creation.

I am enjoying this color theme so far, how about you? I've been playing with color in paint, in nail polish (purple toes), in colorful salads, and some turquoise clothing.

I thought I'd share a couple commissions that I've been working on this month. One is a commission that isn't quite done yet. I had to stop because I wasn't sure whether I wanted the dresses to be white as originally planned or pink with a white stripe and ties (I'm still thinking it over.) I still have to paint the moon and stars in and a few other small details, but I love how it's coming along. It took a long time for this image to develop. I was playing with the arrangement for months and the final idea came to me while I was in the shower! I was using the steamed up glass shower door as a sketchpad and the idea formed. My favorite part is that there is a subte heart shape between the mother and daughter figures. (It's 8"x10" with acrylic on canvas)

This one was a commission for someone who recently experienced a loss and wanted an image with a dragonfly in it. I love when this happens, the image came to mind as she was talking and it came together very quickly. (It's 6"x6" with collage, acrylic, and ink on panel.)

In a way they are (unintentionally) similar pieces! I seem to be liking these trees curving towards the moon and of course, the moon and trees are always big in pieces of my art. But the pinks are a bit different for me! I think it's Annabelle's influence.

I hope everyone who celebrated had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! With my extended family, we'll be continuing the celebrations tomorrow. Yesterday, I did some inkblot art in a small sketchbook, leading to this image of two blue-haired bridesmaids.

Perhaps they're the same blue-haired sisters that appeared in an inkblot last year!

Today, I was doodling owls in my sketchbook and had the idea to do an owl perched on a woman's head. I'm calling it Sophia. In Greece, owls represent wisdom and seeing little owls in my head while breathing through labor is partly why I chose Sophia (meaning wisdom) as Annabelle's middle name. I wasn't thinking of my daughter with this image though, it was more of an outward representation of the brain.

I wanted to make a Demeter counterpart for the Persephone in Autumn piece I did earlier in the month. Again, I started with collaging the background in the early morning hours and then painted the figure during Annabelle's afternoon nap. Again, I included a female figure in her face, which ended up getting painted over, but you can see a simple, young female figure (representing Persephone) in her hair.

After I thought the piece was finished and I took a picture for Instagram, I noticed what looked like a bird shape in her hair, so I brought that out a little bit. It seemed right.

I wanted this piece to show Persephone while she is missing her daughter, wondering where she is. Stopping for a moment to hold her in her mind. I painted it with acrylics, on top of collage on a 6"x6" panel.

By the way, if you have any interest in purchasing an original or print of the pieces I've created this month, let me know! Most of them will eventually make their way into my shop, but you can snap them up before that, if you'd like. Just pop me an email to discuss. One of this month's pieces, Potential, has already sold!

In honor of the first snow of the season, I did this painting. Growing up in New England, I feel like I should be used to and/or love the snow. I do not. But, when I'm safely tucked inside, all warm and cozy, the first snow of the season is beautiful.

Today, I was inspired to paint an image of Persephone. I started with a collage base on 6"x6" board, then painted on top of it, not knowing exactly the direction it would take. As it developed I liked how an older woman in the collage appears in her face. I imagine that she is Persephone's mother, Demeter, in her thoughts.

Following the lead of the colors that developed, I see this as an image of Persephone in Autumn, before she enters the underworld/winter until she returns in Spring.

Doodling, earlier in the day, I had the idea of acorns in the ground, untapped potential, perhaps surrounded by trees (potential realized.) After a long day, with Annabelle sound asleep, I sat down and painted it out.

Day one and I'm already feeling super inspired. Bursting with ideas, excited about the excitement, energized by your energy. Thank you! I hope you feel all that energy coming your way too.

I had an idea in my head to paint a tree on a purple background with yellow leaves, but as I sketched it out today, the image came to me of leaves falling up, so I went with that. They didn't end up being yellow, perhaps another day, but I'm really taken with the idea of things falling for some reason, so I may play with that again another day. This piece is acrylic and ink on paper.